Britain catches the Super Bowl bug as the 49ers gear up for their first final in almost two decades

The San Francisco 49ers will go for their first Super Bowl crown in almost two decades on Sunday night but they can count on strong British support from fans who still remember their glory days in the 1980s.

The 49ers - who will face the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans - last won the NFL's biggest prize in 1994. It was their fifth championship in 14 years - a flood of silverware for the team named after prospectors who raced to California in the gold rush.

That period of dominance coincided with the NFL's first wave of popularity in the UK and the effects are still felt today.

Well-liked: The 49ers are more popular with Brits than their opponents

NFL UK figures show the 49ers are the fourth most popular team amongst British teams, behind other powerhouses from the same period, Miami and Chicago, and the most recent dynasty New England.

With Baltimore ranked down in the mid-table, it is easy to see which team will have the most support from across the Atlantic come kick-off.

It is not just numbers. The 49ers also boast some of the most prominent NFL fans from the UK.

Former England rugby coach Martin Johnson follows Jim Harbaugh's team closely and was thrilled to see them reach the Super Bowl, especially after the coach's mid-season gamble to stick with their young quarterback Colin Kaepernick even after veteran Alex Smith returned from injury paid off.

'I'm delighted to see my beloved San Francisco 49ers back in the Super Bowl,' Johnson said.

'I have been very impressed with the way they have played this season and the way the entire team has handled the switch Jim Harbaugh made at quarterback during the regular season.'

Smith had been the third-ranked quarterback in the league before suffering a concussion in Week 10, but Kaepernick was such a revelation when handed the chance that Harbaugh broke his own rule of not having an injury cost a player his place in the team long-term.

'It was a risky move to bench Alex Smith in favour of Colin Kaepernick but you can see why Harbaugh made the move,' Johnson added. 'Kaepernick has been sensational and offers so much to the team.

'In terms of arm strength, he is a different beast and he is amazingly quick for a big man. Kaepernick has been very impressive.'

Long time: It's the first time in almost two decades that the 49ers have made it to the final

Nerves: Beyonce will be performing at the half-time show with 100 million people watching

Super Bowl XLVII

Sportsmail will be covering the epic clash between San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens on Sunday

England cricketer Jonathan Trott is another keen fan.

'My love of the San Francisco 49ers all started when my nan and granddad went to San Francisco and got me a 49ers cap - that was when they were really good in the Nineties,' he said.

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'I started watching them on TV and I've been a huge fan over the past six or seven years. I have been out to watch them live and I saw them play at the New York Jets earlier this season.

'I have a feeling the 49ers will win. They are a well-rounded team and in Colin Kaepernick they have a game-breaking quarterback to go with a solid defence.'

NFL UK could be forgiven for rooting for the 49ers too. San Francisco will head to Wembley later this year to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in one of two regular-season contests in the capital.

Having the Super Bowl holders in town in the first year the International Series has moved to two games per season would be a significant coup in terms of generating publicity.

Jerry Rice, one of the faces of the 49ers' glory days as a three-time Super Bowl winner, made the trip when San Francisco played Denver in London in 2010, and is looking forward to the return having experienced first-hand the strength of their support here.

'I felt very special when I came to London in October 2010 for the 49ers-Broncos game at Wembley Stadium,' he said. 'People treated me great and were walking up to me in the street and recognising me - a lot of that is to do with the dynasty we built at the 49ers and me being part of a team with so many great players in the 1980s.'

The stage is set for another crowd-pleasing event, with Beyonce on hand to offer her vocal talents at the half-time show on Sunday.

Her practices have so far garnered a significant amount of interest, with many waiting to know if the songstress will be singing live after she admitted to miming at the inauguration of President Obama.

Live or not, it is sure to be entertainment at its best, with over 100 million people estimated to be watching.